Tuesday, March 9, 2010

AT&T has added its first all-electric cargo truck, the Smith Newton, to its corporate fleet. AT&T operates more than 77,000 vehicles in its commercial fleet.

The vehicle - recognized as the world's largest electric battery-powered truck - is now servicing St. Louis, Missouri. The zero-tailpipe-emission Smith Newton runs free of normal engine noise and vibration, and it stores electric energy through regenerative braking.

In addition, AT&T has committed to be one of the first purchasers of the Ford Transit Connect Electric, the first fully-electric commercial vehicle to be widely sold in the United States.

"We are focused on driving down our dependence on imported sources of fuel and are open to alternative fuel resources that can reliably power our expanding fleet," said Jerome Webber, vice president, AT&T Fleet Operations.

The Smith Newton and - by the end of 2010 - the Ford Transit Connect Electric - are part of a $565 million planned investment announced in March 2009. AT&T expects to spend an estimated $350 million to purchase about 8,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, and approximately $215 million to replace 7,100 fleet passenger cars with alternative-fuel models. http://www.att.com/csr